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Top four-year colleges and universities for nursing in North Dakota

Four-year colleges and universities award bachelor’s degrees as their highest undergraduate designation. Many of these institutions also offer graduate programs of study that culminate in a master’s degree or a doctorate. As North Dakota’s healthcare industry grows more complex, employers are increasingly favoring nurses with at least a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree in their hiring and promotion decisions. Indeed, the most competitive candidates will hold a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree.

To fill this demand, North Dakota has roughly a dozen four-year colleges and universities with accredited nursing programs. Several of the state’s large public universities offer prelicensure BSN programs, including Dickinson State, Minot State, North Dakota State, and of course University of North Dakota. These offerings are complemented by smaller private schools like Jamestown College, Sanford College of Nursing, and University of Mary, which usually have just 30-50 students per BSN graduating class.

Graduates of North Dakota’s four-year nursing schools should expect excellent career prospects and attractive pay. The state’s 7,750 registered nurses (RNs) earn roughly $55,000 per year, although BSN-educated nurses typically receive top-quartile pay of $62,000 or more annually. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), who must hold at least an MSN degree, fare even better. For example, North Dakota’s 500 nurse practitioners earn $85,000 per year, while its 30 nurse midwives earn roughly $105,000. Nurse anesthetists are the highest-paid APRN role, taking home $170,000 in annual pay. Both RNs and APRNs can seek employment with a breadth of local healthcare providers, including Sanford Medical Center, St. Alexius Medical Center, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

To help North Dakota’s nursing students, we’ve compiled below a complete list of the state’s four-year colleges and universities with accredited nursing programs.